BAGUIO CONFERENCE OPENS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26123, 27 May 1950, Page 7

BAGUIO CONFERENCE OPENS

South Asian Problems To Be Discussed (Rec. 11 p.m.) MANILA, May 26. Delegates from seven nations to-day gathered at Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, 160 miles north of Manila, for the opening’ of the Baguio conference on Southeast Asia. The participating countries are Australia, Ceylon, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Siam, and the Philippines. The primary objective of the conference is to promote peace, social progress and a better standard of life in Southeast Asia. General Carlos Romulo, the Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs and leader of his country’s delegation, said that the seven participating nations represented more than 600,000,000 people of different races, religions, languages, and cultures.

“Matters of mutual and permanent interest to the peoples of South-east Asia and the Western Pacific will be discussed and acted upon, and the decisions taken will be binding on the Governments participating.” said Gen- ' eral Romulo. “The Baguio conference i is a step forward in the movement of Asian nations toward regional action ] within the United Nations.” <

Delegates to the conference decided that the only open sessions would be the opening and closing sessions. There will be no committees, as one of the participants, Siam, has sent only one delegate. At the opening session General Romulo was elected president of the conference.